Basic Nursing Skills 1 Flashcards
7 cards from real CNA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Basic Nursing Skills 1 flashcards as text
A patient on a mechanical soft diet chokes frequently. What should the CNA do?
Answer: Stop feeding, report to the nurse immediately, and document observations
Repeated choking is a safety concern indicating a possible swallowing problem; feeding must stop and the nurse must be notified right away.
Which observation about a wound dressing requires the CNA to notify the nurse immediately?
Answer: The dressing is saturated with bright red blood
Bright red blood saturating a dressing indicates active bleeding, which is an urgent finding requiring immediate nursing assessment.
A patient tells the CNA, 'I feel like my heart is fluttering and I'm dizzy.' The CNA should first:
Answer: Stay with the patient and call for the nurse immediately
Palpitations combined with dizziness can signal a cardiac event; the CNA must stay with the patient and get the nurse immediately.
Which technique is used to correctly count a patient's respirations without alerting the patient?
Answer: Count breaths immediately after counting the pulse while still holding the wrist
Counting respirations while still appearing to take the pulse prevents the patient from consciously altering their breathing pattern.
When assisting a visually impaired patient to eat, what should the CNA do to promote independence?
Answer: Describe the location of foods on the plate using clock positions
Using clock positions (e.g., 'potatoes at 6 o'clock') helps visually impaired patients locate their food and eat more independently.
After a patient uses a bedpan, the CNA should perform perineal care wiping:
Answer: Front to back to prevent introducing rectal bacteria to the urethra
Front-to-back wiping moves bacteria away from the urethral opening, reducing the risk of urinary tract infections.
A patient's systolic blood pressure reading is 88 mmHg. What should the CNA do?
Answer: Recheck immediately on the other arm and report the finding to the nurse right away
A systolic BP of 88 mmHg is abnormally low and should be rechecked for accuracy, then immediately reported to the nurse.